warlock
by waterpeaches
Summary: "Any good explanation on why you are holding my hand?" Wanda asked with a calm, yet humorous and snarky tone. "Play my game, Wanda." He smiled as his lips curled and his eyes flickered from hazel to red. OR the Power Swap and Story Swap idea I came up with at 1AM!


**AN: for more additional tags on my story (to get a better understanding) check out my AO3 account (waterpeach)! thank you for reading!~waterpeaches**

Tony pissed Wanda off.

It was so noticeable that she would sometimes charge off in a silent rage with almost every individual encounter, or even in certain team meetings.

Wanda loved roses, she loved red, as she loved her suit. She loved her flag, the red on the Sokovian flag.

Tony loved his piano, he loved black, as he loved his nails, a dark, dark polish. He loved his T-shirts, his gloves and his boots. His eyes and dark lashes.

When Wanda charges off, she heads to the roses in her billion dollar garden, to pick them, caress, and smell them. It calms her and she feels at ease. It took her all this time, all of these innovations and moments of fame to afford such beautiful landmarks and estates, and now she has this goth, snarky magic boy terrorizing her plantain.

Her mother loved lilacs, unlike her, Wanda didn't like the smell of them. Wanda did like the color purple though.

Her Mother used to have fields of them at her estate, and she always invited her daughter to walk with her in the cold Sokovian plains. "Look Wanda, these took years to grow, do you enjoy them?"

"I….sure."

"Dear…"

She stifled a laugh. "Mom, I am a liar."

"Yes you have always been one."

"No...wait...I procrastinate my true feelings through lying."

"I knew you would figure it out."

"You have caught me again."

Her mother always waited for Wanda Maximoff to correct herself. Always make her point out the mistakes and uncharacteristic qualities of being a famous Maximoff. True, Wanda wasn't her mother, she wasn't her father, but can't she be herself? If she was different would such disappointment in her cease to exist.

She was too dark, too brash. She wasn't like this golden man named Steve Rogers, whom she sees hanging in his father's bedroom as a poster. He was American. She thought of him every time she thought of the country.

She hated it. She hated the obsession with Captain America and her corrections and ways of etiquette. But, she loved her mother dearly.

But she left, and her lilacs wilted, and Wanda began to change. She began to drink. Drink and drink and drink. And she slept, she called, she met the boys, boy after boy after boy, she paid, paid and paid them to warm her bed. Then, it continued like a cycle, put on your red lipstick, get the flashy party dress on, and show them your billion dollar body. She wanted to feel free. She lost all of her money. And she danced with her boys. She had nothing, but everything. They left and came, and she found one speck of happiness, and became interested to see the next about to enter her world.

She met men on the roads, when she was broke and lonely, she used to ride with them, hold them and kiss them, but then her money came back, and all of these men, all of these beautiful boys drove away, and she met a pair of crisp blue eyes.

Eventually, she met Percy Potts, and his red hair was all hers, to run her hands through it.

They used to kiss, a lot. He was American, he was eccentric, charismatic, and he loved her well.

"You're silly, so silly, Wanda." He used to say as she caressed his freckled body, on the beach, on a date, or in bed.

"Hm." She responded one day in bed in a bored tone.

"What?" He chuckled breathlessly.

"I don't know I just...I know it is silly I know but...you are so wonderful."

He would laugh in his famous New Yorker style, and his skinny pale hand would grab her face, as soft and careful as possible, like smoke, or a wisp of vapor against her rosy cheek.

"What is so wonderful about me?" He whispered naively.

Wanda didn't like thinking. She just...knew he was wonderful, she saw so many things in him that were, but she couldn't put her finger on it. She didn't like explanations. She just felt him, she fell in love with him.

"Red."

"Red?"

"I love red." She used to say, and trail her finger across his freckles. "I love red."

He would chuckle again and breathe in deep when he felt her fingers trail across him.

"Well...hm...I love brown."

"My hair?" She would hum.

"Yeah but, it looks like it's turning a little red. Maybe you should dye it?"

"I don't like changing myself. I'm...just me."

The thing about Percy was that he never really felt like a leader, and he wasn't one, not at all. There were times where he got in the most troubling situations, and Wanda was always there to save him, in her red suit.

She was a genius, and he loved that. He loved her eyes and hair, the way she smiles and how rough she can be if anyone messes with the ones she loves. She was a mechanic, she did things women would not do, but that day in age was changing, and Wanda was making headlines. She always did. And Percy would sit and drink coffee, read the paper and search for her name, whether it was about Afghanistan, or her newest fashion style caught by the paparazzi.

Afghanistan was...rough, she would rage, she would cry and regret making her suits. She wished Percy was safe, she wished the world was safe, Wanda always felt regret and fear that she ruined America, Sokovia, (even though her innovations made her country flourish) or even the world.

"I wish I've never made that suit!" She would sob in front of Percy. Late at night she would cry in their penthouse, it would happen at frequent. "I can't...I can't lose you, I have tried the suit. I-I have done everything. It is not enough! I shouldn't have went on the journey, I wasn't ready, Sokovia wasn't ready!"

"Yeah, it's alright though. Flying was never my thing really."

"That is not the point!"

"The point is I'm always with you!" He smiled and shook his floppy red hair. "Wanda look at me, look. Am I dead?"

"Not yet." She would grumble and tears once bottled up would flow. "Rhodes... his offer...I shouldn't have considered it."

"Do you see what those suits have given you?"

"Fear."

"Freedom."

They both stopped and Percy sucked in a breath and ruffled his crimson hair, Wanda loved it when he did that.

"I...I hate...America."

"Oh, Wanda."

"I don't want to this anymore." She said quickly as she scurried down the stairs, and Percy trailed after her quickly, calling out her name.

Wanda pressed her hands on the keyboards and began to type in codes and protocols. "Jarvis. Jarvis can you hear me?"

"Yes Ma'am?"

Her olive eyes glowed with rage, but a lipstick red smile spread across her face with anticipation. "Destroy everything." She could hear Percy screaming her name with terror as he entered the large lab.

Jarvis took a while to respond. "Ma'am, I believe that is not in my system. What do you possibly mean in 'destroying everything'."

"There is no more Iron Woma- aaagh." Percy grabbed Wanda from behind and held her arms, she wrestled and cursed in rage, trying to break free. He pushed her closer to the lab wall and held her carefully, yet hard and secure. He then used his free hand to touch the light illuminating them, her chest.

He tapped it several times and his eyes lowered to her in sincerity. "This is you, this is what you are destined to be. The genius billionaire philanthropist. Is that such a negative quality?"

"I feel trapped." She gritted her teeth. "I am tired and sick, I am dying Percy, I am dying. If the world is expecting me to be something I can't be then why bother? I could go back, to no money, no parents and no family. I believe….I believe I am free there."

"But I am free with you." He kissed her glowing chest. "And if you destroyed the Iron Woman, that would disappear. Then...you would...Wanda...do you need to check yourself in."

"I don't know! I don't know, I don't know, I don't know." She cried and collapsed in Percy Potts skinny arms. She sobbed for hours and hours, and Percy stayed with her, kissing her head, hair, eyes, mouth and cheeks. "I don't know…." She continued to say. And Percy held her on the cold ebony lab floor, reminding her of what she has. Him.

"I love you."

…

June 24 2015.

Wanda pushed herself out of bed and gripped her red tank top in fear. It was another terrifying night, another vision of her own creation and the death of her friends. Ultron rocked her core, more than the attack of 2012 did, and Tony's part in this event caused nightmare, after nightmare.

That sneaky runt, he was crazy, mad, intruding, and she didn't like what she saw when he waved his fingers into her head.

He was crazy, mad...was...he still is!

She slowly pushed herself out of the bed and pulled on some dark shorts, she placed her purple polished feet on the wooden floor of the Avengers HQ.

"Ma'am?" Friday's voice was mellow and smooth.

Before she could finish, Wanda whispered. "Just a smoke."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Wanda strolled to the TV room and pulled a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from the dresser, she reached the elevator and began to light one up. The doors opened, and the genius strolled to the top roof, another rose garden.

She placed the cig in her mouth and inhaled, shutting her mascara smeared eyes, taking in the floral scent.

"You know it is very refreshing to hear another Sokovian voice, but it also annoys me you know, because you have a hint of American in you."

No. No way.

"Haven't we talked through this?" Wanda blowed the smoke through her nose. "The past is the past, right?" She tried her best to end the Sokovian and American conflicts, it did eventually, with its downfall (with her own creation of Ultron) and it caused Tony Stark's family to crumble. It was so remarkable that he could sometimes keep a humorous outlook on life, even though he lost so much in so little time. It varied dramatically. Some things Tony said made Wanda think he was lying.

Pietro Stark was similar, yet different than his younger brother. Ambitious, pompous, powerful and outspoken. The twins were an asset Wanda wanted to use for the future of the Avengers, she just had to catch them.

Pietro Stark was hard to catch, but Tony was much even more difficult, speed and agility didn't matter in this chase and search. What Wanda noticed was Tony was sharp with his tongue, quick with his attacks and his humorous style of manipulation was frustrating beyond belief. It was as if Pietro was being controlled by Tony, everywhere they went, everything they did, Tony made decisions, then Ultron controlled Tony, it was a cycle. Producer, prey, predator.

Now here he was, his anger towards Wanda Maximoff has diminished, he has destroyed her own creation by ripping its heart out, and now what? Wanda believed Tony Stark was just sad, he was always looking sad every time she laid eyes on him, in combat, conversations, (which never ends well) or team planning. Tony was especially nasty to Wanda, she knows what she did, but he can't seem to let it go. Her last name still haunts him, the shell haunts him. So, he haunts her with personal fear.

There you have it, fair and square. 2015 was the most mind opening experience Wanda has ever been through.

Wanda got into closer view as she walked side to side through the thick waxy bushes and thorns, Tony Stark sat on a concrete brick wall, twirling his black painted fingers and watching the red tendrils dance about, a bottle of beer was placed beside him, and he was wearing a tight black v neck and long baggy green sweatpants. "You remind me of Pietro you know?"

"You miss him?" Wanda asked carefully and let the cigarette rest on her lower lip.

He continued to examine his hand. "Now you know why I'm here." She examined his face. He was more trimmed and proper than how she saw him last month. Tony had a scruffy look, just like his brother. His hair was messy and greased, hands dirt caked and littered with small Sokovian styled rings, he wore necklaces, one Wanda particularly noticed was the Star of David.

"I know you miss him. He was a good man, Tony." She came closer to him and his eyes glowed a blood red, not his piercing hazel look. "You both fought so well, I've honestly never seen any twins, or people...like you."

"I am one of a kind." Tony admitted and lowered his pulsing red hand down. "But you can take that away and what am I?"

"A-"

"Just a man." Tony licked his lips and took a swig of beer. "Take your suit away? A woman. Just a...woman who got her money from daddy."

Wanda's mother accent strengthened and she pulled the cigarette from her mouth and flicked at the butt annoyingly. "I've lost, and I've resurrected my wealth, some days I have only relied on my men, and I have come to realize that maybe there is someone...who you need to love, only one. I didn't think the men I've met loved me as much as I loved them, but Per-"

"Percy Potts? The red man? Your puppy?" Tony bit his lip and rested the lip of his bottle on it. "Is that your life? Just love and money. What about sacrifice?" He asked carefully.

"Sacrifice….a thing I have learned, all 8 of us have learned, and I am sure you've looked inside everyone's head and have seen the sacrifices they have endured."

Tony took another drink and set it down, his facial hair was neatly trimmed and shaved, his hair was cleaned and spiked, and his eyes stared at Wanda's with seriousness. "I am looking at yours right now." His eyes became redder than before. "You're here because you need to think. You're scared at night, as am I."

"You know then…" Wanda sighed and dropped her cigarette. "I still want to destroy those suits."

"But you still want to listen to your what...your boy?"

"I love him, Tony."

"But can you be free without him?" He snapped back and his eyes filtered back to green. "Because what I see is fear Wanda Maximoff," He flicked his slender fingers and poked at his black nail polish. "and in this particular moment, keeping the world safe must be done the right way. Percy won't do right now."

Wanda pushed her caramel curls out of her eyes and she blinked, setting her lighter down. "What…?"

"I'm here all night." Tony smirked and took another sip of his beer. "No payments, free readings all day, Avengers get discounts."

"Percy is the one I love." Wanda bit her lip and cheeks. "What gives you the right to become my mother?"

"Because your mother knows what's best! Your mother makes your lunches, she tells you when you look your best and when you don't...your mother.." Tony trailed off and tapped his fingers on his green sweatpants, triggering a contrast of green and red (which came from his fingers again). "Your mother sits with you at the dinner table and holds you until she dies." His fingers stopped tapping. "And your...your mother tells you her favorite colors, and her favorite flowers, and she sings to you while on her piano."

"How...how did you…?" Wanda trembled.

"Everything we say, we do, it's all a book. And I love reading books, just flicking through your mind is a journey. The Great Iron Woman, page one, 'Wanda's first dress was a light red and golden skater skirt'. I could go on...I say it could be as thick as War & Peace."

"I never liked those lilacs."

"Hmm. I see them now. Your mother was rich in style, and your father, god, what a genius."

"If I see her style I can't help but cry."

"Yet your nails are painted purple."

"I never said I don't cry." Wanda bellowed, and began to pull another cigarette from her pouch. "Lilac is a color that will stay with me, it might not be my favorite, but it's still apart of me."

"She wanted you to be a polite little Sokovian lady? You certainly went above and beyond those customs. Mrs Maximoff's customs...they represent the color purple." Tony slowly figured out, and his eyes flashed red again.

"My mother is a part of me."

"I understand, I understand everything, ah, look, I have these rings." Tony interrupted and took Wanda out of her trance. He exited her mind and focused on himself, pointing out the golden rings placed across his fingers. One for mother, for father, grandparents and best friends. He named all of them after the fallen. "I wear them everyday."

"They mean something."

"You may know this already, but in Sokovia, art is everything, and everywhere. Jewelry, paintings, plays, and music. They all mean something, don't they? Like a lament a man writes for his dead wife, or a poem describing the flag. And my art, these rings, they remind me of things that I've lost, but I have not, because they are still with me." Tony waved his fingers around again, but this time no red tendrils showed. Only his rings flashed. "Understand? I see you are following that custom."

"Of course…" Wanda cleared her throats and looked down at her arc, she then looked back at Tony, still examining his rings. "Do you mind showing them? If you don't mind of course."

Tony paused and his long dark lashes fluttered. He lifted a finger and pointed at his left index. 2 gold skinny rings. "My Grandparents." He pointed to one which was red white and blue with a little symbol in the middle Wanda recognized as the Sokovian symbol. "My country." He moved to his right, and lifted a lazy index and his breath hitched. "My…." There were two, silver and clean.

Wanda Maximoff pressed her lips together and faced the different direction. "Do you have that picture?"

"What?"

"The picture. Of your parents. We were um, searching Pietro's body, we found a picture-"

"He carried it around everyday. I told him it bothered me, he mentioned it everyday. I couldn't handle it. You like to forget, but you must remember, yes?"

"I understand. It makes me sick when I think of mine just...dying in a car accident. And yours…" Wanda chewed on her second cig in anxiety.

"Could-could you just...you had your smoke and-" Tony's long lower lashes seemed to droop. "Just leave, I am sorry I just need to sit alone."

"Tony please, just talk to me, tell me everything. We didn't get off to the best start, I want to help."

"Go back to bed." He muttered, which sounded like a warning, and Wanda knew his temper was still inside of him. Of course, after losing his brother, anger and confusion is in him, Wanda knew these feelings all too well.

"I-" Wanda tried to push a sentence out once more, but Tony raised his fingers and the red pooled out of him. Wanda's worn cigarette popped out of her mouth and landed in his fingers, he placed it on his lips, facing the opposite way. Wanda knew he was smirking.

She left, and she slept, or at least she tried to. And her mind still replayed on what just happened to her.

That bastard. That poor, broken bastard that is Tony Stark.

She'll get him to crack, and at least form an acquaintance with him.

…

October 20 2015

Tony was seeing his therapist today. And Wanda noticed he was carrying his picture and his rings.

For the past few months, Wanda has only seen Tony dash to his room at the end of the day, training with Steve or Natasha, or heading to his weekly appointments. And Wanda was absolutely terrified to approach him.

It's ironic, that Tony Stark thinks he is a therapist himself, and thinks that Percy is a bad influence on her. Percy doesn't smoke, he hardly drinks, he doesn't cheat, flirt or run from Wanda, what gives him the right to call him out? It was frustrating, so, Wanda decided to ignore him, and Tony got the picture, and scuttled off in different directions, just to avoid her. She knew he looked in her mind, so of course he figured it out.

But it was until the October sunset broke into a million colors, Wanda met him alone again.

She needed a drink, and everyone knew when Wanda headed to the large kitchen at night, she was ready to take a shot, or two, or five.

She wished she could cut back, but all of this planning, organization in the Avengers initiative gave her so many headaches she lost track of counting them daily, and meds were certainly not helping.

It was the perfect day to unwind, she held her scotch gingerly, and circled it with her hand, blinking lazily, her purple eyeshadow was smearing and uneven. The color of the scotch resembled the citrus sunset glowing from the tall large window across from her, which took up almost three quarters of the wall. It was quite far away, she couldn't make out any other objects near the window but the colors of the sky.

She took a sip of scotch and stop swirling it around. She eventually walked with it to the front of the large window to admire the rest of the autumn scenery. As she stood quietly against the light, she heard a small stroking noise, like it was rubbing against paper.

She jerked when she saw a hunched shadow in the corner of the window. Spiked black hair, trimmed beard and goatee, elegant eyelashes. Tony Stark.

Scarlet Warlock, they started calling him, it was Steve's idea. Wanda had to admit the war hero had some pretty creative qualities. Tony went along with the name proudly, and warmed up to the captain more than anyone on the team, though she also noticed him and Vision talking more than usual.

She caught her breath and realized the stroking noise came from the canvas, the color was red, and Tony scrapped it elegantly on the top of the picture.

"I...hi...Tony."

He turned and licked his lips, forcing a straight smile, and then turned to his work.

"I didn't know you could do that." She said. Tony dipped his brush in the orange paint and began stroking the next light layer.

"I used to paint everyday of my life, you know?" He said starkly, his last name suited him well. "Pietro used to think I was silly, wasting my time with such things, he wanted me to get out, explore Sokovia, but what was it worth when I couldn't see...them again." He talked about Pietro Stark...a lot, as well as his parents.

"Yes, I understand. When my parents...passed in that car accident, I couldn't help but think of the little things they said, or did, or how they moved and talked. They say you pass on those types of traits, from them. I cry when I remember the things they did, I talk like them and," She sipped her scotch and cleared her throat. "well, I am just overwhelmed."

"Hm." Tony gave a low raspy hum and scratched his jaw. He set his orange coated brush down and lifted his delicate fingers and red curled around them, Wanda noticed he wasn't wearing his rings this time. A bottle of red wine and a glass slowly gravitated towards him and he took it in his palms almost gracefully, the glass settled in the ledge of the window.

Wanda looked to the side but heard him pour the wine, and the quiet sounds of his sips. She too, decided to drink and eventually finished. "I see how you are his evening." Tony mumbled, accent thick. "You would like some, yes?"

"I, um."

"Mind reading." Tony said with a dash of excitement in his voice, but not noticing enough for someone to notice entirely.

"Right. Please."

They sipped their wine in silence and watched the sky switch from color to color, darker and darker.

"Tell me, Miss Maximoff, have you ever been in love?" Tony abruptly said as he finished his painting, it was exquisite and very well done.

"That's wonderful!" Wanda exclaimed and set her glass down, leaning in. Tony lifted his head to her and she bent down to examine the masterpiece. "You really must've practiced so much, I don't have a mind like that. The...creativeness."

Tony's lips were stained red from the wine, and cheeks glowed the same color. "You didn't answer my question." He stated.

He blinked lazily and Wanda looked at him below her. "Love? Well, why do you ask?"

"I am just curious. You have told me so many men have been apart of your life, was it just so you could satisfy your needs, or something more-"

"I loved all of them." Wanda sighed. "Or so I thought. It was hard to let them go, but they wanted the money, the fame and everything besides feelings. Objects. That's what they wanted." Tony watched with interest and poured himself another glass. "What about you."

"Many women have...caught my interest, but because I didn't have much of a wealthy lifestyle, many women didn't bother to connect with us. Pietro did get some interested, but sometimes he tipped the boat, and I believe you know how it ends."

"I believe you attracted many." Wanda smiled. She felt bad, she just felt like she needed to shower him in complements, maybe that would work, they could form an acquaintance. She couldn't climb into Tony's head, like he could to her. Actually, it was quite rude. "And...maybe intruding on people's personal business isn't a social norm, maybe cut back, just a little?"

Tony smiled and a small chuckle escaped. "You are right. I am sorry I just...it happens by itself sometimes." Wanda just smirked and nodded.

After a few moments of silence, the stars emerged, and Tony took a deep inhale of breath. "Time to go. It's been nice talking again, Maximoff." With that, he shuffled over to her, slowly grabbed her hands, which her against her stomach, squeezed them, nodded, and slipped away to his bedroom.

What...what was that?

…

January 2016

Tony Stark was still Tony Stark, but he was also a different Tony Stark.

But Wanda was just plain old Wanda.

Tony cleaned up even more, he felt more confident, yet he was somehow reserved as always, Rogers always tried his best to make him feel comfortable, along with Vision.

He was communicating more, paying attention, he was becoming more and more powerful. It was possible that he could even tear apart Wanda's most innovative suits.

In the new year, she spent hours and months, tinkering with new weapons, suits, and innovations to make sure protection is at its highest for the world against threats.

The new year sparked a new era for the Avengers, and the household became more close than usual. Tony showed small representations of humor, happiness and involvement, which surprised everyone and brought smiles of glee in the HQ.

Wanda was always in her shop, the least to interact with the rest of the Avengers, or sometimes she was out and about with Potts, on philanthropy trips, movie premiers and Iron Woman show cases. Missions weren't her things now these days, she was mightier, and recognition of Wanda Maximoff was prominent. She couldn't even walk into a grocery store without all walks of life pointing her out.

As January and February pressed on, she stayed cooped in the lab and shop, hiding from the snow storms and blizzards.

She had begun to hear the soft tones of a piano seep into that room. It was weird, and it sounded like her mother's playing, the same sounds, same songs. Wanda was not expert on music, let alone the arts. It might not look like it, but she enjoyed rock, even occasional indie, but she knew this song, it was...Beethoven? Something of that sort.

She let it go and continued to let sparks fly from her metal, and new suits and weapons formed every week. It took a while until the mysterious sound was unmasked.

More scotch was what Wanda needed after finishing the basic shell of her new suit, and that same classical piece she heard the first time. Maybe it was Steve who played it throughout the house? Wanda knew he enjoyed that, and she wasn't the one who controlled Friday anymore, well...she controlled it more, Wanda was her boss after all, she didn't want Steve to accidentally power the HQ down with an accidental slip of words.

It was in the middle of the night the song was playing, and Wanda had to admit, the dark scenery of the room was a perfect mood for this piece, relaxing, melodic, calm and cool. After she drank a small glass from the fridge, she noticed a figure bent over and swaying side to side.

Wanda huffed and raised her arm, assembling shards of iron to form around her hand, and the orb in the middle was used as a flashlight as she approached the figure. The power in her palm let out a high pitched whine and the figure looked up, olive eyes surprised.

"Is there anything you can't do?" Wanda chuckled and disassembled her armor, which went back into her small wristband.

Tony wore a tight grey turtleneck and a small blue necklace, what Wanda believed represented Pietro. He jerked at first and muttered a Sokovian curse, then sighed with humor and looked at his keys on the dark piano that blended in the night.

"You're able to see the keys in the dark?" Wanda said slowly and sat down.

"I've become so used to it, I'm able to close my eyes," Tony closed them and played a long C major scale, up then down. Wanda clapped humorously and Tony dipped his head again, grinning with his pearl teeth showing. "but before I met you," he continued. "I used to practice all of the time, and at night, I used to light it up like this." He lit his hands up crimson and his hands stretched against the keys, now playing a D minor scale in red. "Erm….U-Ultron enjoyed it."

"Oh, uhm."

"Oh, I'm sorry, that is the past. The past is the past. I shouldn't-"

"No, no!" Wanda locked eyes with him for the first time, she paused and looked at his drooped ones, so melancholy and full of beautiful drama, you could tell Tony had history just by looking at his eyes. "I mean...listen, I created Ultron, I added things to him that...gave him an asset to become apart of the team, a tongue, and well...like mother like son, same tongue."

"But you aren't a murderous bastard." Tony joked and showed his teeth again.

"Give me a sec!" Wanda pushed his shoulder playfully and laughed. "If we...if we are alike then, well, I have a reason to like it too! Beethoven?"

"Oh, um, no, Bach, German still."

"Right, my mother used to play that exact song?"

"Is that so?"

Wanda nodded and Tony smiled. "I could play something Sokovian if you'd like? I know an old tune."

"I would like that very much Tony."

Wanda noticed his eyes grew brighter, happier, darkness disappeared under them, and he received enough rest to erase the bags.

They played, they talked, they drank wine more and more until their cheeks glowed rose.

"Your fingers." Tony pointed a veiny hand to hers. They were red, her favorite color. "You like that shade, don't you?"

"Yeah, as you can see." Wanda chuckled and touched her wristband, showing him a part of her suit. Tony watched with a grin of awe. "I've only worn this oh...since forever." She waved her hand and brought up a hologram of a cheesy childhood picture. Wanda had short caramel hair and a red catholic school girl styled dress. Tony laughed loudly, and that made Wanda change her entire view on this magic man forever.

"Aw, Мила маленька Ванда, мама добре одягнула тебе!" He smoothed his spiked hair and chuckled.

He was speaking the in native language of Sokovia, that was new, Wanda applied her knowledge. "Це боляче, як пекло, я впевнений, що вас також торкнули в цій області."

Tony pursed his lips. "I actually enjoyed formes of fashion. Some of my brothers choices of clothing were...not so appropriate."

"I have ideas of what he wore." Wanda pressed her nails on the piano seat.

Tony scratched his rosy cheeks and facial hair. "Ну, уявіть собі офіцера, який перетворить твого брата, поки його блідоласець піддається всій місцевості, вгадай, хто не вечеряв?"

Wanda thought she was going to throw up her wine she was laughing so hard. Tony only smiled and pressed his elbow to the piano, emitting a few low notes from the instrument.

"But," Tony sighs as Wanda cools down. "it is the childhood that forms us, yes? And the colors and the art? For you it was the machines of course but," Wanda watched him as he looked down and his eyes scanned the ground. "colors, art, it's necessity of human remembrance, it makes you remember so much."

"I didn't know you were this talented Tony."

"You praise me too much, you need too…"

"'Focus on yourself?' You stopped yourself there." Wanda teased. She knew she was cocky, full of herself, Tony knew all.

"The great Wanda Maximoff does not forget what she says to others, I can tell you that, but I can see you are trying to become more…generous."

"Hey, I will have you know most of the work I've been doing for the holidays is for all, and nothing for me. I got a watch for Christmas, that's all."

"2 million dollars worth."

"Urg."

"I got," Tony rested his hand on his chin. "an orange last Hanukkah. One orange. But, that is not the point."

"Right, art." Wanda grinned and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Yes…art." Tony slowed his words down and locked eyes with her. "Here, follow my lead, we can connect colors with our lives."

"Ok, you're the artist here, show me."

"Put on your metal glove."

"It's a wrist reactor but okay."

"Ванда-" Tony's voice signaled a warning.

"Right."

He gripped her suited hand and circled the smooth clean red metal with his thumbs and fingers. "Okay, so your mother, her flowers-"

"The color purple." Wanda finished, she watched Tony's eyes flicker from her to her weaponized hand.

"The last color on the spectrum." Stark stated. "Now, something in my past. Pietro."

"It's because of his clothes?" Wanda whispered.

"Blue was always with him, it was like his...soul color. It suited him well." He pressed his lips in the thin line and swallowed, his Adam's Apple bobbed. "Blue. Next color, Green." His hazel eyes pounced on hers, ready for an answer.

"Green, um let see." Wanda cocked her head to the side and her caramel curls fell with it, Tony examined slightly and his eyes flickered. "Bruce." She finally concluded and smiled confidently.

"Dr Banner?" Tony questioned.

"We became friends really quickly. It really sparked once we found out we had similar interests."

Wanda noticed with every color mentioned, Tony intertwined a finger with her. She didn't question. She was tired, worn, and watched him carefully state his next sentence.

"Yellow." He spoke quietly, letting his middle finger slip between the fold of her metal skin. "I don't know if this would apply, but no sun. Did you see the sun a lot in Sokovia?"

Wanda pondered, the more she thought about it, he was right. Sokovia felt like a wasteland compared to New York or Washington DC. It was a sad, sad place, but also happy, there is always a chance to make the darkest places a little light. Right? In response, she shook her curled hair.

"Yes." Tony said slowly and looked at his fingers laced to hers. "The more and more I discovered the world, I realized even the poorest places and corners of destruction always have a sun, or a wide range of blue sky. You took me there, Maximoff, and it is...remarkable to see a full sun, so bright and it makes me want to breathe like I've never breathed before. Like a newborn ready to live."

Tony was right, and Wanda nodded quietly again. She was ready to open her mouth to make a funny joke, but she knew it would be a fifty/fifty shot, Stark would frown or smile, so she shut herself up and smiled. After a few seconds of sitting quietly, she finally pushed her lips open. "Yes, yes I completely understand."

"Alright," Tony moved on. "orange." His eyes have her a 'go on' sign and Wanda chuckled, tilting her head yet her eyes were still on him.

"Any good explanation on why you are holding my hand?" Wanda asked with a calm, yet humorous and snarky tone.

"Play my game, Wanda." He smiled as his lips curled and his eyes flickered from hazel to red. "Orange."

"Uuuhm." Wanda snickered once she found her answer.

"Oh. Please don't." Tony groaned loudly and rolled his eyes. He rested his free skinny hand on his dark gritty chin. Wanda felt a sensation in her head telling her not to say it, it was him, climbing into her brain again.

"Honestly, Tony, you are not being fair, didn't I tell you not to enter my head again? It hurts."

"I'm looking for the truth." His mouth went flat and his dimples stuck out. "I don't think this is the truth Wanda, what you adore."

"Percy's hair." Wanda smiled. "There you have it Stark." He stayed silent, but she knew he was leaving her brain, and his eyes went back to its normal color. "It is what I adore, you could climb through every neuron, every dendrite, and you can see me dancing, kissing, loving him forever."

"Don't think twice about his love for you. Bad things I can see."

"And, what do you have to know all of this? Have you ever been in a relationship?" Wanda questioned with a sneer, her metal hand clenched slightly and it scratched parts of Tony's finger and pressed his rings harder against his skin.

"I...haven't. Wanda you understand that I have gained this ability to use this against your will. But now I'm just trying to warn-"

"Stark I don't need your warning." Wanda snapped quietly. "Percy and I plan on getting married."

"I don't see that." Tony fluttered his eyes trying to enter her again.

"It's going to happen."

"Now you're just making things up as you go."

"Isn't that what I do? To save the world I make things up?"

"Under some circumstances your plans fail, Maximoff. If it is a appropriate to say now, you understand I was trained and programmed to kill you, but that was changed when I realized what you are."

"What, what am I-"

Tony cut to the end with a soft, quiet hum. "Red." Wanda sighed from frustration and now Stark's fingers were fully intertwined with hers, not minding the scratches and cuts from the harsh metal. "My turn." He pondered for a moment and his tongue circled around his cheek. Parts of his teeth were stained red.

Red…

Wanda waited for what felt like an eon, it felt like the world crashed, burned and rebirthed. Wanda could see a catastrophe in Stark's eyes, they were flickering with the color he stated, and his visions transferred to hers.

Like a slide show, Wanda's eyes moved back and forth, she saw Tony Stark, the Scarlet Warlock. Flick flick flick. He was laughing, he was screaming, he was crying. He was in his mother's arms, he was under rubble with his brother, he was crying in his cell, he was laughing in Strucker's castle with Pietro, he was angry and all alone with wooden blocks. Wanda noticed this last scene slowed down, and Tony, dirty and greasy, no shower, no cleanliness, lifted his hands and controlled the blocks. His hands twitched, and the screen inside Wanda's mind flickered and his hands were in different positions, trembling, moving as if an invisible sphere was between them. He finally crossed his veiny hands and the blocks splintered and broke.

Light.

Wanda saw herself in that godforsaken cave, bandaged, bloody and mascara smeared. She was sobbing as she meddled with the iron in her hands. She was dying, she was laughing, she felt as if the world forgot her and Percy would never come back to find her, so she built, she healed and she trained.

Red became the color of her next suit. A bright, cherry figure dashed across the sky. People cheered and pointed, and Wanda would surprise the world with a party, fireworks and dozens of her grey and blue metal suits would join her, her red was a huge contrast to her unbeatable squad.

Flashes of Wanda smiling, holding Percy, dancing with men, and drinking cream champagne filled her. She was crying again, then laughing, celebrating, then skipping through the Sokovian lilacs. It played of repeat, her emotions. Yet all situations were different.

Crying: she was crying in Percy's arms, crying in the cave, crying as a leviathan roamed over her and she could see Steve Rogers star spangled body crumble beneath her.

Laughing: at her parties, on her dates and one night stands. Putting on her makeup and smearing red lipstick and eyeshadow across her face. She would chuckle if her hand slipped and created a clownish expression on her mouth.

The visions and Tony's meddling with her visions started with a bang and ended with a whimper as the last chuckle from Wanda's mouth left her own hearing, and that last scene, in front of the mirror with her makeup flashed away, and now Tony's hands were still in hers, clutching the metal softly, his black polish chipping.

"Red." Tony said simply. His eyes fluttered and his bottom red stained lip puffed slightly. "I love red."

Wanda's breath hitched as the warlock moved his head and mouth to her covered hand and kissed the coppery metal of her suit, he dragged his lips across the creases and folds of the glove.

Tony's mouth began to break apart and his bottom lip dragged up the metal, and his eyes were on her, head peeking below her breasts.

Wanda quivered and signaled her wrist to deactivate the suit, and Starks lips still dragged against the metal as it disappeared into her wrist. She could notice cuts forming from the sharpness on his mouth, but she knew he didn't care. Which was odd, Tony cared too much. About everything.

He continued to kiss her hand, leaving red wine stains, until Wanda moved and pushed herself on the piano.

Her scarlet lipstick was smeared and her eyes were filled with wonder as she watched Tony's fingers twitch and hold red against her body, pushing her harder against the instrument, and forming a soft glowing red curl across her wrists.

A black lacy bra and an olive green tube top layed on top of that very piano, and several jeweled rings clattered against the smooth black surface.

…

May 2016

Wanda Django Maximoff and Percy Potts announce their separation to the New York Times.

…

June 2016

Wanda dreamed of pianos. She could feel Tony, and see his fingers dance across the Ying and Yang keys. Red swirling around his fingers.

The song was angelic and mesmerizing. His fingers moved so fast and never missed a note or beat, and Wanda could feel herself smile in her sleep.

The piano from that night was in her rose garden, not sure how it got there, but Stark was there, in the garden, it was like after the war with Ultron, where they had their little talks last summer.

Flowers seemed to bloom around him and twirl even though no wind was present. He seemed as normal as he was the last two months she found him. Eyes brighter, clean and happy. His mouth still red from the wine, the dark green vines of the roses seemed to curl and twist around him, with no puncture of thorns against his skin.

It was the end of what Wanda wanted to start. Tony left her in a heartbeat and left Vision in a pile of rubble and ash. He dumped cars on her and wished he never laid one kiss on her or said one word to her.

And the last time Wanda spotted the tricky warlock was in Visions arms and in that tight straight jacket. Wanda could not help but replay, and replay, and replay the clip, looking into his dark hazel eyes. He looked as if he got out of the second war, the Civil War, his eyes turned back to darkness and bags formed. His mouth was pale and eyes dewy with wetness. This was the reality, and Wanda couldn't take it.

She remembers the scotch in her system, she remembers herself shoving pain killers in her mouth and demanding secretary Ross on the phone: "Send him, no questions, I must have a few words with him."

…

The last day of July was perfect. Absolutely perfect. So the Iron Woman flew, higher and higher until she could touch the rosy clouds in the sky, orange, red and pink light bouncing off her suit.

She kept her hands leveled at her hips and let herself stay there, straight, as if she was standing on nothing, and blinking in awe at the beauty of the lush summer sky.

Friday informed her that her visitor has arrived, and Wanda said nothing. But what Friday could see is the gulp in Wanda's throat and her large Bambi eyes squinting. She waved her hands and pushed them to the back of her, and propelled to the tower, to the garden.

She landed dramatically and scanned her surroundings, just roses, thorns and dark plants.

Wanda squinted and tilted her head in surprise to see that the piano in her head appeared. She bit her lip and approached the instrument, all she could hear was the clunk of her metal suit against the soft dirt.

She touched a few keys and to her surprise they were tangible. The low baritone note echoed around her and she pressed her mouth together. Wanda discarded her mask and explored more, until she came across a familiar shadow. She was happy secretary Ross agreed to her terms.

She stopped and she could feel a chunk of ice fall in her stomach, for the dark figure, all dressed in black, stayed still. Wanda picked up her pace and the boom boom boom of her metal suit pounded against the waxy grass. She was close, at least 5 feet away from the figure, and she could see the overgrowth of Tony's goatee.

He raised his fingers with rage and concentration and propelled Wanda backwards and against the red brick wall of her garden, she activated her helmet just in time before making contact with the vines and roses. Petals exploded around her and she clenched her fists, then raised them and shot back at Stark.

It became a game of catch, back and forth, back and forth, blue light contacted red, and their arms grew weary and limp. It was loud, loud enough for the civilians to hear, and Wanda could have sworn she could hear Tony screaming:

"You have brought my life to shit!"

"Damn it! Damn you!"

Things slowed down, but Wanda kept blocking Tony's balls of wispy energy. His hands twisted and cracked as his muscles bent and contracted, emitting smaller and smaller balls of energy every time he raised his hands, he was slowing down.

Tony eventually raised his arms, and formed a red sphere with a light core of magic in the middle, and charged for Wanda, who raised her fists in preparation. Red wind began to whip around her, and the petals of the roses flew around the Scarlet Warlock, depicting himself as if he is an all powerful god of nature.

Tony, who then lowered his attack and dissembled the scarlet sphere, slung his skinny arms around Wanda's metal waist and kissed her helmet, right where her lips should be. Wanda gasped and lowered her helmet, her head falling into his. The kiss lasted long and sweet, and she could feel his trembling lips part as his sugary tasting tongue made contact with hers. He tasted musky and floral like, his eyes fluttered with bliss and a small sad moan escaped his lips.

Wanda dissembled her suit and she still had her arms around Tony. She could feel his hair, the coolness of his body and the grittiness of his neatly trimmed facial hair. He smelled like a relic, like dust, like nostalgia, and Wanda wanted more and more.

Tony began to push her towards the red bricks. She could still feel the flower petals falling from the intense brawl.

She was against the wall. Tony did his best not the slam her, and continued to kiss her quietly, softly and passionately. His hands moved up to clench her shoulders and kissed her eyelids, cheeks and neck, delicately, like a feather against Wanda's skin. She could feel the cold metal tinge of his rings against her collar bone.

Stark then lowered his hands to her stomach and Wanda's breath hitched, his hands trembled as he slid them up her shirt, with no contact of skin surprisingly. Wanda waited for his touch, she was waiting two months to feel this again, she wanted to feel what she felt of the piano. He didn't touch her, yet his hands still lingered by her chest. She felt a head suddenly and her chest was growing crimson. With a flick of the wrist her shirt cut open in two and her pine green bra and arc reactor was exposed to the air.

Tony paused and sighed at the beauty and Wanda stood silently, waiting for the warlock's next move. He wasn't demanding, he wasn't dominant, nor greedy, like any other lover Wanda had. Tony slowly lowered his head and pressed his forehead between her breasts and on her arc reactor, his black hair shining brightly against the blue illumination.

He breathed softly, and the red on his hands disappeared from his fingers.

"Why do you love me?" Wanda sighed as she rested her head on the hard wall.

"Who said I love you?" Tony's breath was loud from the kissing, and Wanda could feel it.

She could hear it in her head. "You bastard." She breathed. "Stop climbing in there." Tony gave a breathy chuckle and kissed her chest.

"You are cold, but that is ok. You are cold like your country, and I am to, I believe."

"How will we make this work, Ross believes I am punishing you, giving you a stern talk before you are put in that damned straight jacket again."

"I love strategy, plans and such." Tony stopped kissing and lifted his head to her, she noticed he covered his eyes in dark eyeliner. "But this...is complicated."

"What will the rest think?"

"I don't know."

"What will the world think."

"Wanda, please." Tony started and sighed. He shook his hand through his spiked hair and sighed, he took one look at her smeared red lipstick and pondered. "I just leave, I am a criminal."

"You are not-" Wanda clamped her mouth shut. "Wait...why is there a piano?"

"You're dream….I commanded it."

"You created that? I was a million miles away and you made a telekinetic communication from the compound?"

"You learn something everyday." Tony smirked. "I am sorry about...exploding."

"What? Oh." Wanda examined the still falling petals around her. "It's...it's fine. I understand I'm…wait so you brought the piano?"

"This song I played, inside your head, it reminds me of you, Wanda, and it reminds me of everything I love, and...I don't love a lot."

Wanda snickered and peeled herself off the wall. "You composed it?"

Tony Stark's voice cracked and he drifted to the instrument's seat. "Certainly." He started playing smoothly and softly, and Wanda watched and didn't say a word. It got more dramatic, like the one in her dream. The falling petals gave it such a serene, peaceful environment. Wanda eventually landed next to him on the seat and listened to him play, with the red petals and magic floating around her, her skin chilling in the dead of night.

He moved his head side to side, smiling and pursing his lips in concentration as he finished the most tedious part of the peace. Wanda's lipstick smeared mouth opened and her eyes widened.

Tony finished and kissed her softly again. The Scarlet Warlock never mentioned it, but Wanda heard everything he meant to say.

"I have fallen in love with you."

"I love you, Wanda Maximoff."

All was in her head, and this time, everything in her head brought by him wasn't controlled by fear, but by love, and Tony blossomed. His true form blossomed in front of her and Wanda was in infatuation once again.

She was nervous, that such a feeling happened right after she split from Percy. Another extreme feeling of arousal, how immature. Did that moment on the piano mean something? It must've, because her decision to send him back showed his true colors, his true self, the Tony before Avengers, the Tony before Strucker or Hydra, before magic. Just Tony, Tony Stark.

Wanda loved the rawness of human beings, and this, this was the answer, and she wouldn't let him slip from her again. If Vision couldn't keep Tony safe, then she had to do it herself.

Maximoff rested her head on his, and their eyelashes fluttered against each others, Tony sighed and whispered: "I am mad at you, Maximoff."

"Oh?" Wanda snickered quietly.

"I have put this off. I have to leave."

"So, you've figured out my plan?"

"Our...affections come with a price. I just...can't believe you left me in my roo-"

"It is for your own good." Wanda said quietly.

Tony hummed annoyingly. "If I can't have my own personal freedom then we can't…we can't love-"

"Tony-" Wanda pulled his cheek back to her. "Tony listen, listen. I can't lose this, and I can't lose you. You are all I've got in my life right now."

He scoffed. "What about that spider boy? Or Romanoff."

"They have escaped, at least Nat did, Vision needs rest, it's too much for him, and Pete...Peter needed to go home."

"So...the great Iron Woman has crumbled? You understand that if it were the summer of last year I would be full of satisfaction to hear this news, but I am kissing the killer of Tony Stark, and the creator of Scarlet Warlock."

"Wasn't that your idea?" Wanda questioned and cocked her head to the side. "To become the magic man?"

"Pietro and I have always believed that our sacrifice to Hydra was to conquer you and you only. Yet here I am, Pietro wouldn't be too happy."

"I am likeable. Your brother has come to like me."

"Barley."

"I bought him a thousand dollar pair of Nike shoes."

"Objects don't matter. Only souls."

Wanda bit her lip and lowered her dark eyelids. "So...the piano?"

"I wrote this piece for you, I gave you a visual from the compound, yes? I knew you saw it."

"And you moved...this…" Wanda blinked slightly and let her face scrunch in confusion.

"If I could move at least three cars to crush you, I am sure I can bring this to the garden. It is here because well...this is the first color of the spectrum, red, number one...top...priority." Tony hummed and stared off into the sky freckled with stars. "It is a place that I have learned is a favorite of yours."

"You're meaning to say you composed a piece and played it in my favorite scenery. Tony you really are more romantic than Percy could ever be." She teased and her voice dropped in a whisper.

"Hmm. Yes. So it didn't work out then?"

"What? Oh, no. ...you know you could really make some cash fast, predicting an outcome."

"I don't need money."

"If you're in America then yes."

"Then, what do you need in Sokovia?"

"A story, a sunset and a smoke, and a good old fashion fight with a lover." Stark slipped his red fingerless gloves off and slid his naked hand towards the hooks holding her chest together.

"Are you jealous I bought your brother something and forgot you?"

The hooks snapped. "Just kiss me Wanda."

"...alright."

…

It was dark, and the Vision had disappeared right after Tony Stark decided to fly to 'Europe' to contact Steve Rogers, which set Wanda on edge.

So the Avengers are divided, nothing new, she has a child...not a flesh and blood child of course but one he certainly has to look after. Wanda has noticed a huge amount of webs and PS4 game discs scattered around the guest room.

So Wanda sat, and waited, weeks, a couple months to be exact, and the piano Tony levitated stayed solid on the ground in the garden. Parts of leaves and strands of stems curled around it, and rose petals fell to the glossy black sheen of the top.

She didn't know where Tony went exactly, but Wanda wasn't an idiot, and she knew right when Vision left it was crystal clear to her, but she didn't want to think about that now.

So she sat on the piano, plucked at the piano, and inhaled strong amounts of the New York air. And Wanda cleaned, she cleaned and cleaned and cleaned, the dirt from the instrument and the red petals Tony controlled as they kissed a month ago, in June.

She dusted off piles of dirt, until her eyes flickered to a thin sheet of paper. She believed it was some instructions or a manual. She slipped it from the inside of the piano and brought her hands to her mouth.

'Flowers (Lavender) For Wanda.'

The title made her chuckle and her nose took in the smooth clean smell of that very flower mentioned in the music piece. It smelled of it too, strangely.

She sat down and pretended to be Tony, she closed her eyes and improvised his melancholy face structure, hitting random notes and dipped her head up and down with concentration. She slowed down eventually and chuckled and examined the fully cleaned piano now.

As her smile faded, Wanda felt her eyes squint and her chocolate brows press together. Her eyes became scarlet and her breath hitched.

"Are we ready for a lesson then?"

Wanda wanted to cuss, yell, scream, ask for a location, ask for her friends and family.

But all she could do was wait for the best to come, and listen to him. He reached her head again, and spoke into her brain.

So, she pressed her red painted fingers to the keys, which smelled of lavender, and began to play.

 **AN:** _tony's song: flowers by in love with a ghost_

 _watch?v=Ql_dEdMEjl4_

 _translations:_

 _"Aw, Мила маленька Ванда, мама добре одягнула тебе!"~"Aw, sweet little Wanda, mother dressed you well!"_

 _"Це боляче, як пекло, я впевнений, що вас також торкнули в цій області."~"It was hell, I'm sure you went through this as well."_

 _"Ну, уявіть собі офіцера, який перетворить твого брата, поки його блідоласець піддається всій місцевості, вгадай, хто не вечеряв?"~"Well, imagine having an officer spot your brother running down the street while his pale ass is exposed to the whole neighborhood, guess who didn't get dinner that night?"_

 _"Ванда-"~"Wanda-"_

 _..._

 _thank you for reading! ❤️_


End file.
